CHP Officer Hurt In Novato 101 Crash
NOVATO (BCN) - A California Highway Patrol officer and a Novato man were injured Monday afternoon when a woman driving on U.S. Highway 101 in Marin County lost control of her car.
Melissa Maldanado, 22, was driving her burgundy 1970 Chevrolet pickup truck north on Highway 101 just south of Atherton Avenue in Novato at about 1 p.m. when she attempted to brake as she approached slowed traffic, according to the CHP.
At that time, a CHP officer was standing nearby outside of his patrol car, which was parked in the right shoulder along with a black 2004 GMC pickup truck containing Novato resident David Hambly and two others.
As Maldanado braked, her truck entered a locked-wheel skid and traveled to the right, striking the patrol car before slamming into the back of Hambly's pickup.
The patrol car was pushed into the officer, who was thrown onto a grassy embankment to the east of the roadway, according to the CHP. His vehicle came to rest with its passenger wheels on the grass.
Hambly and the officer both suffered minor injuries and were transported to Marin General Hospital.
According to the CHP, Maldanado, who is from Walnut Grove, was traveling at an unsafe speed before she lost control of her truck.
The Marin-area division of the CHP is investigating the crash.
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